Blog Post #2

1. Did you know? 3.0 -A. John Strange 2012 Version

This video was created originally by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod to bring some facts of education to this country. I personally love it and the way it is real, but then again it's so hard to say we need it and we don't need it. The video is comparing the United States to China and India. First, how can we be behind these countries when we have so many schools and teachers out there with all the resources we have, and funds they get? I do not understand. The U.S needs to pick up the pace and figure out what is going on in schools and focus on these statistics. So basically, the video was saying India has more honor students, and higher IQs than the United States, so are we blaming technology and social media for being lower than them? Honestly, as much as we love our cell phones, youtube, and Facebook, this country would probably be more book smart without all of it. Kids have too many privileges and play too many video games these days. Over in India and China, what are they NOT doing to become so technically smarter than the US? I do not know much about their culture, but I'm guessing they don't have as many materialistic things that take up their time as we do here in the United States. It's really something to think about. We have all this technology that we will use and teach about in the future but yet what's it doing for our students? We as teachers need to hand over as many resources and knowledge we can to prepare our students for the future.

The numbers are insane that 2 years ago 7th-12th graders were spending about 2 hours texting and almost all kids had cell phones! I don't understand why in the world an 8 year old would need a cell phone. What happened to writing letters or riding your bike to your friends house to talk? What happened to pen pals across the world? Are people just too scared to let their children roam because all of what has happened or is it fear of what could happen? But then again, technology is what keeps the world turning right? There are two sides to this topic and it's so hard to see the world without technology now that we have it everywhere we go!

I seriously hope I do not have 10-14 jobs by the time I'm 38 years old. As teachers, we need to be the ones pushing our students to college. If graduates would just go to college and get a degree then those numbers would drop. Easier said than done! My role as a teacher in preparing students to use technologies that do not exist would be to teach them about the technologies I do know about and how to use them. This class has taught me so much already even though it is hard to keep up sometimes. The more you learn about technology the more you can teach to others. I think technology is great for some things-class, reading, writing (typing), educational games, intervention and enrichment for students, and for any educational purpose. I've taught my Kindergarten classes with technology-we played number games with adding and subtracting, and counting, etc. I think it's used wrong in the country and that's why we are behind in the statistics.

2. Mr. Winkle Wakes

Mr. Winkle wakes up from a 100 year nap and discovers a tall building so he goes inside and hears all these noises and sees all kinds of machines, which one is spitting out paper with writing on it and he's overwhelmed because he doesn't know what is going on. He sees people talking to each other on a screen with headphones and just doesn't understand. So he feels sick and goes to the hospital nearby. He sees people being kept alive by these machines that pump air into them and he see these xrays and then thinks that they can't help him feel better so he leaves. He finds himself walking, with no direction and comes to a school. He walks in, sees a teacher lecturing to her class and the students are just sitting there writing as she speaks. He likes what he sees because he is used to it.

This video is awesome because it shows how advanced we have become over the years. Not only do schools and teachers get to use technology, but hospitals and most businesses do too. Technology is the key to a successful career no matter what you do. I guarantee you that some sort of technology is used in almost every field of work. If it's not, then it probably should be. Teachers are so fortuante to have the different kinds of technology they have to teach the children that one day lead our country. Skype, GPS, computers, printers, fax machines and ventilators are just a FEW of the technologies we take for granted because we are used to having it. Where would the world be without technology? I sure don't want to find out.

3. The Importance of Creativity

Ken Robinson is a great motivational speaker as well as very knowledgeable about creativity in schools. I agree with him and honestly think I have experienced lots of creativity in the 2 years I taught Kindergarten. I know there is always room for improvement and of course always more and more ways to be creative in teaching. I am glad he brought up how kids are scared to be wrong and I've seent his firsthand in my classroom. Teachers should always tell their students that it's not the answer that counts it's the "answering" that makes you a better student. In other words, putting effort into learning is what will help them learn. Also, kids need to be exposed to field trips, and speakers as well as lessons being taught. Different atmospheres work wonders in some kids. I love how we had career day where the parents would come and talk to each class about their career and what they did to get there. Kids love change-it keeps them motivated and thinking "what's next?" I also have experienced these so called ADHD/ADD children who seriously have that issue and whose parents "thinks" their kid has that problem. I can't tell you how much I am annoyed at that topic!! Kids will be kids! Let them live their childhood, explore and conversate with others and adults! Parents should be the most creative ones in their children's lives because they know them best and what engages and excites them. Being a hyper child and not wanting to sit in one place for 7-8 hours in normal! It doesn't mean they are ADHD or ADD. Get them up and moving and engaged in activities! Creativity is something I love and will always do my best at. I've always been known as a creative person so there is no stopping me now. I loved how Robinson talked about focusing on technology. Technology is what makes the world go around whether we see it or not and we need all the help we can get to find these resources and materials so we can teach to everyone we can. So much changes in such short periods of time and it's our job as teachers to keep our students motivated enough to go out there and explore all there is-technology or not.

4. Classroom Disruption

Classroom #1
-Teacher was enthusiastic
-asked for feedback (reaction) from class
-Youtube
-Virtual Tours
-Facebook fanpage for lessons, video and audio links
-Twitter-articles,
-blog for class
-technology was very nice and accessible
-Video Chat for students to talk to teacher

Classroom #2
-Teacher unprepared
-assigned busy work-reading in textbook
-Flip charts
-teacher has no expressions
-sleeping students
-Easel
-35 page article in text and will be tested on
-Teaching to text and nothing else
-didn't know names of students
-didn't address problems of students with assignments

Definitely choosing classroom number one. He was more down to earth and seemed interested in the students and wanted to help. He had many computers that looked like each student had access to. He had tons of contact information on the internet so the students didn't have to worry about anything. He was willing to help and he showed that. I have taken classes similiar to classroom number two. It really opens my eyes as to how teachers have changed from just a few years. I didn't have but maybe 2 or 3 computer classes. Back then they were called that but now every class should have a few computers in it that are being used on a regular basis. When I taught Kindergarten I had 4 computers that we used everyday! I loved it! The techniques used in classroom number one is advanced using computers and the internet-more of a visual and auditory learning technique. Classroom number two is taking the textbook, reading comprehension technique by reading graphs and diagrams and writing papers. The students will certainly learn in different ways. Class one will learn I think is the "easier" way by using the computer and getting things completed quicker and learning to use technology as they go. Class two will learn just by what they read and write. Technically, they could be taught the same thing but learn it differently because of the sources they have. I would still want to teach with computers and all the technology I could get. I think it's very creative and the kids always want to know what new technologies can do and how they can use it when doing assignments. I think as a teacher I will need to remember everything I've learned so far and keep up with technologies as they develop. I will definitely keep up better and try to research about technology funding and how we can create more effective ways in using technology to teach our children.